Kneehigh's Tristan & Yseult returns to Theatre Royal Bath
Theatre company Kneehigh has revived its cult hit Tristan & Yseult at Theatre Royal Bath. Directed by Emma Rice, the show retains the energy and audience participation that made the original 2003 production famous.
British theatre company Kneehigh has brought back its acclaimed production of Tristan & Yseult at Theatre Royal Bath. The show first premiered in 2003 in Cornwall, the setting from which the medieval legend of knights, love potions and infidelity originates, and has since achieved cult status, including a well-received 10th-anniversary run.
Adapted and directed by Emma Rice, the revival preserves the fourth-wall-breaking style and circus-inspired chaos of the original. Audiences are again invited to blow up balloons during the wedding scene between King Mark (Edward Rowe) and Yseult (Nandi Bhebhe), while her secret lover Tristan (John Leader) simmers with hidden passion in the wings.
Music and circus elements
Central to the show is the moment Tristan and Yseult drink the magic potion that makes them fall in love, followed by a striking aerial set piece. A live band performs original compositions by Stu Barker on one side of the stage, while a soundtrack of Wagner, Nick Cave and Roy Orbison plays on a record player on the other. The production blends circus, cabaret, comedy and tragedy throughout.
Comic relief comes from Yseult's maid Brangian (Tom Fox) and King Mark's spurned aide Frocin (Matthew Churcher). Writers Carl Grose and Anna Maria Murphy chose one of the gentler endings for the legend, avoiding the more brutal fate that appears in some versions of the myth.
The reviewer notes that although the production is a revival of a previously proven hit, it has not lost its power and continues to captivate audiences, including younger theatregoers at the performance.
